Early yesterday morning, winds on the Hat Rock Fire required quick action by crews as a flare-up added an approximate 80-100 acres to the fire footprint near Juniper Canyon. Taskforces worked to prevent the spread of fire into difficult terrain. Coordinating the immediate response, Division Supervisor Brent Olson stated, “Local ranchers were instrumental in disking lines during the attack working alongside our fire crews providing solid containment lines.” Task forces concentrated work in the Juniper Canyon area throughout the day to further secure lines and performing isolated clean-up burns to reduce the fuel load near the fire perimeter. Work was conducted along Hwy 730 addressing hot spots and strengthening the fires edge.

Although flare-ups have occurred, crews’ quick work to attack and limit fire progress on the Hat Rock Fire has grown confidence in the overall containment of the fire. More accurate mapping analysis together with crews assessing the fire line, we are happy to report that the fire is now 70% contained and total fire acreage is at 16,252 acres. With containment lines holding and dozer lines reinforcing the Juniper Canyon area, the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office has downgraded Level 3 (GO) evacuation areas to Level 2 (SET) and Level 2 (SET) areas to Level 1 (READY). Updates to these evacuation orders can be found on the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

Work will continue today by fire crews performing tactical sweeps, putting out hot spots, mopping up perimeters, and ensuring containment lines hold. Transition plans are being developed to transfer management of the fire back to local authorities. OSFM Green Team will remain in place until confidence is assured that the fire will hold within the containment lines.

No activity was noted on the Mt. Hebron Fire yesterday as crews continued to maintain containment lines. Confident in the work done by taskforces over the past several days, and this fire now contained at 100%, resources were downsized to just one fire engine to continue to patrol the perimeter. This morning, the Multnomah County Task Force was demobilized and returned to their home districts.